Lucy Foley is a brilliant storyteller and The Midnight Feast is another masterpiece. Weaving the story between 2010 and the present day it delivers a mysterious and sometimes mystical tale with the suggestion of large birds appearing with the threat of danger. Francesca or Frankie is the most annoying character with her rich girl entitlement and truly believing her position puts her on a pedestal. However, Bella has seen a different side to her and books in to her incredible new retreat for its opening weekend. With some great characters that enter the story seemlessly but have their own secrets and tales to tell. As the build up to the Midnight Feast escalates, Francesca is determined for it to be absolutely perfect but there are several others, including bitter locals who will go to any lengths to ensure it is a disaster. As we discover early in the book someone is dead and there is a fire but this knowledge does not detract from the back story and build up to the fateful night. With several huge twists this excellent story delivers on every level. Surely another best seller from Lucy Foley.

Fun! It gives Nine Perfect Strangers meets Blair Witch meet The Birds. A bit more bonkers than I expected but a very enjoyable read!

I am always sad when I finish a book that has had me gripped. This is definitely the case with “The Midnight Feast”. The title makes you think of boarding schools and Malory Towers but this book is much darker and more sinister. The Midnight Feast is not what you expect. The story is set by the sea in the village of Tome where people still believe in folklore in this case the power of birds. The birds play a large part in this. story of revenge and of class differences. It is set in what I would call a very expensive wellness clinic by the sea and at the edge of the woods. It is for the super wealthy but everyone has a story and people are not who they seem. The book moves seamlessly between the present and the past. The pace is fast and the story is well written. Recommended! Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy.

The Midnight Feast was a little slow going on the first two chapters but knowing this authors previous work I stuck to it and boy did it change after those first couple of chapters.
It’s June and near the summer solstice, Francesca has just opened her jewel in the Dorset coast, Tome Manor. She has converted the Manor House into a luxury wellness spa with luxury huts dotted around the coast and with treehouses to come very soon. Francesca is anxious opening day goes smoothly as she’s had trouble with the locals after moving a footpath through the woods so her manor and grounds were totally private. She sees a face in a crowd that’s a flashback from fifteen years ago but it can’t be her can it? She’s looked into everyone staying this weekend making sure they are the right people for her manor. If it is who she thinks it is this is going to cause trouble as Francesca hasn’t always been the polite, calm and dependable woman she personifies today.
This was a book that grew and grew on me, the more I read the deeper I got, the deeper I got the twistier it got. This is a dark thriller with a twist of folklore running through it which made for a great atmospheric read. I enjoyed the multiple POV as this really helped develop the storyline. Another winner for me by Lucy Foley.
I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins UK HarperFiction for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lucy Foley’s books and was so excited to pick up her latest - couldn’t tear myself away!

This felt like her most ambitious book to date, with a large and detailed cast, appreciating time points and POV, a gloomy gothic setting and a rich and complex local history. It’s worth trusting the process -with so many characters it takes a little while to get inside their heads. However Foley masterfully wove the various threads as perspectives together to a great crescendo of a reveal that did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed the nuance of the varied characters, and the social complexity that The Manor evoked in the small town. Frankie’s character occasionally slipped into feeling a bit cartoonish, but I loved Eddie and his family, with their complicated dynamics.

Would highly recommend!

Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins UK Audio, and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

'The Midnight Feast' may not be Foley's best work, but it is certainly her most thematically ambitious murder mystery to date. Featuring multiple POVs and timelines, Foley creates a slow-burn that culminates in an explosive finale.

Foley successfully crafts distinct voices for each POV, but the effectiveness of these perspectives is debatable, as the majority of characters come off as either unlikeable or unremarkable.

Wellness guru Francesca, in particular, feels like a caricature of wellbeing influencers. This portrayal would have been perfect if the book were a satire, but instead, it disrupts the dark tone of the story—which could have been even creepier if the folklore of the town were explored more.

On the other hand, Eddie immediately comes across as an endearing character. Considering the significant role he plays later in the book, this should have been *his* story, but instead, he's overshadowed for most of the novel.

Despite its shortcomings, 'The Midnight Feast' is a decent murder mystery, its intriguing themes and explosive finale making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Final rating: ★★★½

I’ve only ever read one Lucy Foley before now (The Paris Apartment) but my favourite thing about that book was how each character had their own very clear individual voice that worked really well with the book’s multiple POV telling and that is something I loved about The Midnight Feast too, each character that was telling their story felt very real and you could picture them as actual 3d people rather than just 2d words on a page. The only part I didn’t like was the journal and I found myself skipping over those chapters, but for me it didn’t take anything away from the story.

The pacing of this was great too, it made the book easy to dive into and it was so easy to sit down and suddenly I’d look up and it was an hour later. This book has made me excited to pick up even more of Foley’s books.

This is a great read. It is a slow and steady build of a read as we work through the day before the incident and the day after from a number of different characters perspective. As all the different narratives come together the story starts to gather pace and then you need to be prepared for a brilliant and unexpected ending.

Another excellent book by Lucy Foley based in an upmarket wellness centre. The main characters are not what they seem and linked to secrets in the past. An absolute page turner.

This is the first novel that I have read by Lucy Foley and I wasn't disappointed.
The story is told from several points of view and over two timelines.
In the earlier timeline Francesca Woodland (Frankie) lives in luxury at Tome manor on the Dorset coast, Frankie invites local children to play with her in the spacious grounds and the ancient woodlands.
Fifteen years later is where the story begins and a slightly eccentric Francesca is overseeing the opening of the luxury Tome Manor Wellness Centre where the guests reside in seaside cottages or woodland cabins, the tree houses have yet to be built, everything is organic and spiritual, albeit that the Manor Mule cocktail includes a dash of CBD oil.
The centre has been designed and built by Francesca's husband, up and coming architect, Owen Dacre .......but all is not as it seems with Mr. Dacre.
The manor is surrounded by ancient woodlands, woodlands that hold secrets and give off evil vibes.
Bella is sent an invitation to the opening, she doesn't know who sent it and she doesn't know why, she knows that the week will end in the solstice celebrations..
The past and the present are intrinsically entwined, strange happenings begin to occur, bodies turn up, are the murders connected, have they anything to do with the old wives tales, tales about the birds.........you mustn't upset the birds.
This story draws you in, it has a large cast of fascinating characters that keep you guessing to the end.
Thank you Net Gallery for my ARC, my review is voluntary.

Wasn’t too sure about this one but glad I persevered. Perhaps not the book to read when you’re in the middle of nowhere, trees blowing outside in the dark. Kept me turning the pages and loved the twists that the author kept throwing in. It’s a good read for sure

I've read a couple Lucy Foley books so far and loved them so when I saw this come up on Netgalley, I had to request it. I'm so thankful to have been approved for an ARC for this one!

I delved straight into this book as I couldn't want to see what this entailed. It was a delightful mix of the present and the past - I loved the way that the story was constructed and all the twists that came along with it. There were some parts that I worked out, but so so many that I didn't put together.

Without wanting to give away any spoilers, the blending of the storylines and the characters was so much fun to read and definitely keeps a reader on their toes!

This is one that will definitely keep you hooked and wanting to read on! You really don't want to miss this

Another excellent, super-suspenseful mystery by Lucy Foley. Set in coastal Dorset, this book is a great read, very difficult to put down, and is ideal holiday reading.

Ended up really enjoying this one. Many shocks and plot twists along the way which I wasn’t expecting. Characters were well developed. The only downside was that there were a lot of characters and it followed many perspectives. At first it was quite difficult to keep track of who was who. However, once we got to know the characters, it was a lot easier. Overall enjoyable and fun read which left me shocked in some places.

I was quite intrigued by the premise but this got way too unbelievable and way too predictable, way too fast.

The pacing was also very slow and boy that I hate slow thrillers. The only thing I actually liked about this book was the setting.

Not my cup of tea.

The Midnight Feast is another unputdownale cracker from Lucy Foley. Featuring a cast of characters, many of whom you'll love to hate, plus luxury surroundings and a hint of the supernatural!

Francesca and Owen have opened a luxury spa hotel, much to the disgust of the locals who are not shy at expressing their feelings. With the grand opening coinciding with the summer solstice, it's all set to be a grand event, but as we quickly find out, things don't go according to plan.

With quick switches between character viewpoints and timelines, The Midnight Feast will quickly draw you in. Who can be trusted? Who has secrets to keep? And who will get their comeuppance?

It's a great read, whether on holiday or in the garden, mixing a classic thriller with a host of other genres. Brilliant!

This is a brilliant thriller and a unique plot. There are so many things that make this such a great book:
*book is written from multiple points of view
*multiple time lines
*diary entries to take the reader back to the shocking past events
*spooky atmosphere

Another sure fire hit for Lucy Foley. A wonderfully dark twisty story, like a country cliff top road! From the start I was hooked. I was very intrigued by 'The Birds" concept and how nature wins! At first I was quite taken by The Manor and thought it would be lovely to visit, but then slowly I realised that Francesca wasn't quite the tickets thought herself to be! It was interesting that she didn't recognise some of her staff as being from her past, but this only added to her narcissistic behaviour. I was truly shocked by some of the twists and turns i was taken on and was delighted by the ending. The body found at the beginning began a guessing game on whom it could be that was revealed at the end. I thought the winning sentence was in the last chapter in the pub. I won't repeat it as it would give some the book away, but it did make me chuckle. I will be wary of being invited to a midnight feast from now on! Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins.

Absolutely loved this book!

I've read a few of Lucy Foley's previous thrillers and really enjoyed them but this is the best one yet.
The story is told from different perspectives and covering different points in time, both before and after the main event, giving you clues to help you discover who is responsible. The book has absolutely amazing characters with so much depth and mystery.

I really recommend this book, especially if you're a fan of crime and thrillers!

Once I got into this book I really enjoyed it. There are several characters relating the story and the time line keeps changing too so a lot to cope with as well as characters who have changed names between the then and now. It certainly keeps you guessing and the ending was not what I expected.